- A salvaged vehicle with a title and operating on the roadway has been previously damaged beyond its value but repaired using original or factory components to make it operable, according to dmv.org.
- A salvaged vehicle can be damaged in a collision, flooding or through theft in which the vehicle has been stripped of its parts.
- A salvaged vehicle can be identified if repairs have been made to the firewall, inner fenders and the trunk floor. A reattached vehicle identification number plate or resealed airbag covers also are signs of a salvaged vehicle, according to the Bureau of Automotive Repair.
- In California alone, more than 150,000 salvaged vehicles are returned to the road each year without a safety inspection, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Some vehicles may not be properly repaired, posing a danger while driving, or have been fixed with stolen parts.
- The title to any car should be examined to determine whether it's salvaged. The vehicle's mileage when it was last sold and the owner of record should also be inspected.
